The present invention concerns a device for retaining a boot on a snowshoe and more particularly the retention of the front of the latter. The invention concerns also the snowshoe equipped with the device.
The snowshoes, devices known for very many years, have been used for several centuries by the Scandinavian populations to move on snow. Until recently, snowshoes were used by ordinary travelers or soldiers to allow the populations and the alpine troops to move on snow for the movements required by everyday life. Currently, snowshoes are instead used by walkers or sportsmen who undertake outings and walks, and even competitions.
There already exist devices of different types for retaining the boot on the snowshoe. There are known more particularly two types, those called a plate and those called a boot envelope. Generally, the devices of the plate type are more often used by the sportsmen mindful of performance because retention of the foot is assured with more rigidity. The devices of the boot envelope type are made of a front fitting defined by a rubber envelope, or by straps by which the extreme front end of the boot is retained. But, if this latter type of fitting is more preferred by the walkers who are not as demanding as sportsmen who are mindful of performance, it is less so for walkers who also want a good lateral hold of their boot.